The Power of Highlights: Enhancing Engagement and Feedback in Online Writing Platforms

The Power of Highlights: Enhancing Engagement and Feedback in Online Writing Platforms

In today's digital age, the way we consume content has drastically changed. With platforms like Perlego and Medium, we have access to a vast library of academic resources and interactive blogging settings. These platforms have revolutionized the way we learn and engage with written content. One feature that stands out in particular is the ability to highlight passages or comments. In this article, we will explore how highlights have changed the publishing landscape forever, and how they benefit both writers and readers.

Medium, a popular online blogging platform, has optimized every product decision around a single key performance indicator (KPI): Total Time Reading (TTR). Unlike vanity metrics like views or clicks, which may not accurately measure value, TTR focuses on depth and engagement. This aligns with Medium's goal of being a platform for both stream-of-consciousness conversation and long-form writing. However, measuring value in this context can be challenging.

To address this challenge, Medium introduced the Highlights feature in 2015. Highlights allow users to mark a phrase, sentence, or paragraph in any Medium article. Each Highlight is treated as an independent article, where readers can add comments, reply to other people's comments, or share the Highlight directly on Twitter. This feature gives readers a more granular way to engage with content. Instead of simply scanning the top points, they pay closer attention, capture their thoughts, challenge authors' ideas, and share passages on other platforms. Highlights make the reading experience more social and stimulate discussion.

For writers, Highlights provide valuable feedback from their audience. Each time a passage is highlighted, the author receives a notification, giving them insights into which parts of their articles are popular. This feedback helps writers understand what resonates with their audience and what can be improved. It guides them in writing more engaging content and building a larger audience on Medium. Knowing that their articles are being highlighted gives them a sense of achievement, as readers are actively engaging with their work.

In addition to the Highlights feature, Medium launched Highlight Responses in 2015. This feature allows readers to respond directly to Highlights, leading to deeper discussions and higher engagement. However, the flexibility of multiple levels of post-ception can be overwhelming for some users. To mitigate this, Medium focused on prioritizing depth of discussion and improved the visual design of Highlights to match the custom color schemes of each publication.

What can we learn from the success of Highlights on Medium? First and foremost, we should prioritize engagement metrics over vanity metrics. Metrics like views or clicks may not accurately measure the value users are getting from our products. Instead, we need to find a metric that truly reflects the engagement and value users experience. Second, starting small and iterating as we learn is crucial. Medium did not launch Highlights in its final form; they made improvements based on user feedback and usage patterns. Finally, we should never assume that everyone uses our product the same way. Analyzing how users interact with features, understanding their intentions, and adapting accordingly is key to providing a personalized experience.

In conclusion, the Highlights feature has changed the publishing landscape forever. It enhances engagement and feedback in online writing platforms like Medium, creating a more interactive and social reading experience. For writers, it provides valuable insights into what resonates with their audience, helping them improve their writing and build a larger following. For readers, it allows for a more granular and thoughtful engagement with content. We can apply the lessons learned from Highlights to our own products by prioritizing engagement metrics, iterating based on user feedback, and personalizing the user experience. By doing so, we can create products that truly add value and enrich the lives of our users.